Compound Reviews
GHK-Cu: The Copper Tripeptide, Reviewed
Three residues and one copper ion. Why the metal is part of the molecule, and what the dermatological and gene-expression literature actually reports.
August 4, 2026 · 6 min read · Novanta Research
A tripeptide with a metal centre
GHK is glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine, a three-residue sequence found naturally in human plasma. Its histidine residue coordinates copper(II) with high affinity, and the copper complex — GHK-Cu — is the form studied in most of the literature.
The copper is not an additive. It is part of the functional species, which is why the complex appears blue in solution and why its handling differs from an ordinary peptide.
What the studies describe
The most cited body of work is dermatological: cell-culture and animal studies describing effects on collagen and glycosaminoglycan synthesis by fibroblasts. A separate line of work uses gene-expression profiling and reports broad transcriptional shifts in treated cells.
Broad transcriptional effects are interesting but also difficult to interpret. Copper itself influences numerous enzymes, so distinguishing the peptide's contribution from the metal's requires appropriate copper-only controls, which not every published study includes.
Handling notes
GHK-Cu solutions are pH sensitive and can lose the copper complex outside a suitable range. Reconstitute gently, avoid strongly acidic diluents, keep the solution cold and dark, and expect the characteristic blue colour to indicate an intact complex.
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For laboratory and research use only. Not for human or veterinary consumption. Novanta Research is not a compounding pharmacy and nothing in this article is medical advice or a claim that any compound diagnoses, treats, cures or prevents any condition.